Sheath for a woodsman&#39;s tool



May 9, 1967 N. w. KALLIO I SHEATH FOR A WOODSMAN'S TOOL Filed Sept. 7, 1965 JOHN F. SCHMIDT ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,318,499 SHEATH FOR A WOODSMANS TOOL Niilo W. Kallio, 1709 Englewood Terrace, Pekin, II]. 61554 Filed Sept. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 485,178 3 Claims. (Cl. 224-2) This invention pertains to a sheath for a woodsmans tool such as an ax or a hatchet and is a continuation-inpart of application S.N. 419,849, filed Dec. 21, 1964, now abandoned.

Because the tool is basically a woodcutting instrument, the term Woodsman is used in its broadest sense to include lumbermen, scouts, hunters, fishermen, bow hunters, sportsmen, and generally any person living close to nature having a need for constant access to a hatchet or hand ax such that it becomes desirable to carry the tool in a sheath, on his person in a way that permits ready grasping of the tool by one hand and removal thereof from the sheath. Maximum and virtually instantaneous availability of the tool is highly desirable; simplicity of the sheath is desirable to enable one-handed grasping of the tool and release or withdrawal thereof from the sheath.

FIG. 1 shows a sheath made according to one em- I bodiment of this invention and carrying a woodsmans tool of the type described.

FIG. 2 is a partial view in section substantially on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view with parts broken away and in section to show details of a latch mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a view of that side of the sheath which lies against the users person.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 but showing another embodiment of a latch mechanism; and

FIG. 6 is an isometric view showing the three primary axes in space, to which reference is made in the description for a better understanding of the invention.

A sheath made according to one embodiment of the invention comprises a substantially flat support 2 having a socket 4 to receive the cutting edge 6 of a hatchet head, means 8 opposite the socket to restrain the hammer element 10 of the tool, latch means indicated generally at 12, means 14 to bias the latch in one direction, and means 16, in close proximity to handle 18, engageable as will be described below by a user to withdraw the tool' from the sheath.

FIG. 6 shows, in perspective, a simple geometric figure that will be used to explain and claim the invention. As shown in FIG. 6, three principal axes intersect at right angles to each other at point 0. Thus, axis 0-): is at right angles to axis 0y, and axis o-z is at right angles to axes o-x and 0-3 More specifically, support 2 is adapted to be substantially parallel to one face of the tool head and the head, in its position in the sheath, lies closely adjacent to the support. Support 2 by itself thus restrains the head in one direction only along axis o-x; the head is movable in the opposite direction, i.e., away from support 2, along axis o-x.

Support 2, at its left (as seen in FIG. 1) edge carries the aforementioned socket 4. Socket 4 is elongated to receive edge 6 of the tool and preferably is lined as shown at 20 with a substance like rubber to protect the cutting edge. The socket is closed at both ends to restrain the head (at edge 6) in both directions along principal axis 0-y. However, it will be observed from a study of FIG. 2 that the tool head is restrained by socket 4 in one direction (leftward) only along axis 0-z. The tool head is restrained against movement in the opposite direction Patented May 9, 1967 along axis 0-2 by the means 8 referred to above. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. l-3, means 8 comprises the head of a pin secured in an end wall 22 which may be formed by a right angle bend of the right edge of support 2. A similar pin having a head shown (in dotted lines) at 24 is similarly secured.

The pins engage slots 26 and 28, respectively, in a slide 30 of the latch 12 referred to above. A pin 32 is carried by slide 30 to anchor one end of a coil spring referred to above as the biasing means 14, the other end of which is anchored on a pin 34 secured in end wall 22. Slide 30 is cut away at 35 to provide space for the coil spring.

Slide 30 carries a right angle bend which forms a retainer 36, at the lower end of which a handle 38 is formed by a return bend of the lower end of the aforesaid right angle bend. In a preferred form, said lower end is retracted by being bent slightly toward support 2, as shown at 40, to underhang somewhat the lower portion of hammer element 10 in its carry position shown in FIG. 1. This retracted position of handle 38 minimizes accidental engagement of the handle.

It will thus be seen that latch 12 has a first position, shown in FIG. 1, wherein it engages the outer face 42 of the tool head and restrains thetool' head against movement away from support 2 along axis 0-x; in said first position, the pins having heads 8 and 24 engage the lower ends of slots 26 and 28. Latch 12 has a second position in which the upper ends of slots 26 and 28 engage their respective pins; in said second position, the latch releases the tool head for movement along axis 0-x in a direction away from support 2.

The aforesaid means 16 engageable to allow the user to withdraw the tool head is rigidly fixed to support 2- is, in fact, an extension downward as seen in FIGS. 1 and 4 of the support 2. In the preferred form shown, the extension includes a concave portion 44 which underlies -a portion of handle 18 to permit placing one or two fingers between handle 18 and said means 16.

As may be seen in FIG. 4, the sheath preferably is provided with a pair of loops 46 to receive the belt 48 of a user of the sheath.

With the cutting edge 6 of the tool firmly engaging socket 4, the working surface of hammer element 10 is closely adjacent to the head 8 of the guide pin, and clockwise (as seen in FIG. 1) twisting of the tool is prevented by element 10 engaging head 8.

' In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, structure is provided to engage a portion of hammer element 10. Thus, in FIG. 5, a seat 50 is secured to support 2 by a rivet 52. Seat 50 thus restrains downward movement of hammer element 10 along :axis 0-y. Additionally, an angle bracket 54 may be secured to support 2' by rivets 56. One branch 58 of bracket 54 substantially parallels and is spaced from end wall 22 to provide a space for slide 30' and spring '14 to move without contact with the working face of the hammer element. In this embodiment, the working face of hammer element 10 lies closely adjacent to branch 58, so that branch 58 restrains element 10 against movement along axis 0z and in a direction away from socket 4. As still another feature, the outer edge of end wall 22 projects outward away from the plane of support 2' farther than the outermost projection of the hatchet, and it projects outward far enough to protect the hatchet from accidental release either by contact caused by the wearers body movement (as by rubbing against a tree trunk), or by such contact as would occur if the hatchet and sheath together were thrown onto the ground with the loops 46 up and in a direction such that ground contact might readily move the hatchet into its release position if it were not protected as described.

Operation The surface of support 2 shown in FIG. 4 is worn against the users clothing, so that the view shown in FIG. 1 is what an observer sees with the sheath carried by a user, handle 18 extending downward. To remove the tool from the sheath, the user grasps handle 18 under the tool head, slipping extension 16 and the handle. With the base of the thumb on the outer surface of handle 18, the thumb itself engages handle 38 and moves it downward, thus moving the latch into the position in which the tool may be withdrawn from the sheath.

It will be noted that element 16 extends vertically below and beyond all other structure, leaving handle 18 exposed on three sides for ready grasping by the user.

While there are in this application specifically described a plurality of forms which the invent-ion may assume in practice, it will be understood that these forms are shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A sheath for an axe having a head and a handle, the head including a cutting and a hammer element, the sheath comprising:

a support,

a socket to receive the cutting edge, fixedly mounted on the support,

means carried by the support to restrain the hammer element and opposed to said socket,

a latch mounted on the support and movable thereon between a first position to engage and secure the head and a second position to release the head,

means to bias the latch into said first position,

means rigidly carried by the support in close proximity to the handle for engagement by a user of the sheath to withdraw the axe from the sheath while holding the latch in-said second position against the bias of said biasing means, said rigidly carried means com prising an extension of the support, the extension including a concave surface adapted to underlie the handle, said rigidly carried means extending vertically below and beyond all other structure whereby the handle is exposed on three sides to such engagement.

2. A sheath for a woodsmans tool having a handle and a two-faced head, the head including a cutting edge and a lateral edge laterally opposite to the cutting edge, the sheath adapted to maintain the handle aligned with a his index finger into the cavity 44 between generally vertical axis substantially corresponding to the cutting edge and comprising:

a substantially flat support adapted to engage one vertical face of the head;

a socket fixedly connected to said fiat support to receive the cutting edge to restrain the head against movement in one direction along a lateral axis transverse to said vertical axis but permitting pivotal movement of the head about said vertical axis; 7

wall means mounted on the support spaced a fixed distance from and opposite the socket and adapted to lie closely adjacent the lateral edge of the head to restrain the head against movement along said lateral axis in a direction opposite to said one direct-ion;

said socket and said wall means being laterally spaced on said flat support and defining the lateralextent of an opening through which the head may be pivoted about said vertical axis for removal from the sheath;

a latch movably mounted on said support adjacent said opening and adjacent said wall means and the axe handle for movement in a direction parallel to said vertical axis between a first position blocking portions of said opening to engage the head for restraining it against said pivotal movement, to a second position exposing said opening for permitting said pivotal movement of the head about said vertical axis for removal of the head from the sheath, and

means to bias the latch into said first position.

3. A sheath for a woodsmans tool according to claim 2 further comprising means rigidly carried by said support adjacent said latch in close proximity to the handle for engagement by a user of the sheath to withdraw the axe from the sheath while holding the latch in said second position against the bias of said biasing means, said rigid means comprising an extension of the support, the 7 extension including a concave surface adapted to underlie the handle, said rigid means extending vertically below and beyond all of the structure whereby the handle is exposed on three sides to such engagement.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 343,535 11/1921 Germany.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner. F. WERNER, Assistant Examiner, 

1. A SHEATH FOR AN AXE HAVING A HEAD AND A HANDLE, THE HEAD INCLUDING A CUTTING AND A HAMMER ELEMENT, THE SHEATH COMPRISING: A SUPPORT, A SOCKET TO RECEIVE THE CUTTING EDGE, FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON THE SUPPORT, MEANS CARRIED BY THE SUPPORT TO RESTRAIN THE HAMMER ELEMENT AND OPPOSED TO SAID SOCKET, A LATCH MOUNTED ON THE SUPPORT AND MOVABLE THEREON BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION TO ENGAGE AND SECURE THE HEAD AND A SECOND POSITION TO RELEASE THE HEAD, MEANS TO BIAS THE LATCH INTO SAID FIRST POSITION, MEANS RIGIDLY CARRIED BY THE SUPPORT IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE HANDLE FOR ENGAGEMENT BY A USER OF THE SHEATH TO WITHDRAW THE AXE FROM THE SHEATH WHILE HOLDING THE LATCH IN SAID SECOND POSITION AGAINST THE BIAS OF SAID BIASING MEANS, SAID RIGIDLY CARRIED MEANS COMPRISING AN EXTENSION OF THE SUPPORT, THE EXTENSION INCLUDING A CONCAVE SURFACE ADAPTED TO UNDERLIE THE HANDLE, SAID RIGIDLY CARRIED MEANS EXTENDING VERTICALLY BELOW AND BEYOND ALL OTHER STRUCTURE WHEREBY THE HANDLE IS EXPOSED ON THREE SIDES TO SUCH ENGAGEMENT. 